I think I ended up eating 99.9% of this cashew cheez all on my own because I was certainly not sharing it. Sure, the In-house Taste Tester maybe got a piece of bread and a cracker or two with the cashew cheez spread on it. This stuff didn’t stand a chance in this house once I discovered how fantastically good it is. (However, lest you think I’m a total glutton, I ate it all over the course of a few days and not just one one sitting…)

What makes it good is the flavor explosion from the cashews with the bite of the green onions. Make sure you puree the cashews so it’s nice and smooth. This is nothing like you’d get in the store and it makes a decent amount so it’s worth investing in the cashews. (I bought mine in bulk at the organic store.)

If you don’t have nama shoyu use tamari, soy sauce or some liquid aminos. The cheez keeps well in the fridge and can serve both as a spread or a dip. It’s good enough to serve for company, but, like me, you’ll find it’s so good that I don’t think you’ll want to share it with anyone else but your self.

It may be the Tour de France but some stages do dip into other countries…as shall I. I’ve been focusing on French dishes but today’s stage ended in beautiful Barcelona, Spain. That means, it’s time to whip up a Paella!

There are literally thousands of ways to make paella. I used a lot of the vegetables that I received in my weekly vegetable delivery (including a lot of the green onions!) Feel free to throw in whatever vegetables you may have on hand beyond what I have listed below – carrots, asparagus, peppers, capers, whatever. The key is throwing it in at the right times so you don’t end up with a squishy vegetable mess. The more delicate the vegetable, the later you throw it in. Be sure to let the cover sit on the pan to let everything steam and cook, but check to make sure the liquid isn’t burning off too quickly or the rice won’t be able to cook very well.

Paella is actually very easy to make and it becomes a really hearty dish with not a lot of added extra fat. It’s a great dish to serve to a crowd and doesn’t require a lot of babysitting while it cooks. (And, if you ask nicely, perhaps someone will get up and check on the paella when it’s cooking so you don’t have to…)

1 cup uncooked white rice (if you use brown, increase the cooking time

3 corn cobs, cut into thirds

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

½ cup frozen peas

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered

1 teaspoon saffron, crushed

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper

In a small bowl, put crushed saffron in 1 Tablespoon of water and set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil on medium. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent and softened.

Add white rice, stir to coat with the oil, and cook until beginning to brown.

Add one cup of vegetable stock and tomatoes.

Add saffron and the water it was soaked in, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to low. Add zuchinni, yellow squash and corn. Cover with a tight fitting lid and let simmer for 20 minutes on low.

Life cover, stir, and add artichoke hearts, and more of the vegetable broth. Replace cover and continue simmering until rice is cooked through – another 20 – 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional broth or water if rice begins to dry out in the cooking process.

Coming in next in this Vegetarian Culinary Tour de France is a Gratin of Melting Potatoes. Someone once said, “Slow and steady wins the race.” That’s true in this dish but not so much in the Tour de France. You must have patience when making this because it took almost three hours of cooking time in the oven to bake all the way through. In the end, though, we were treated with a creamy potato dish that was plate licking good.

If you can stand it, let the gratin sit a little bit to let the sauce thicken up a bit or, even better, stick it in the fridge and reheat it for the next day. Perhaps you could hop on your bike while it’s baking, get a good ride in, and return in time to eat this dish.

About a week ago, I stumbled upon a huge case of tofu products at my local international store. Nestled in with all the different kinds of tofu, I found an intriguing package labeled “soy puffs”.

I quickly snatched up a package but realized as soon as I got home I had no idea what to do with them. Apparently they work well in stews and soups because the puffs tend to suck up the flavor of liquid. With that knowledge in hand, I came up with the recipe for Asian Style Tofu Puffs with Green Beans and Snap Peas. The crispy green beans, snap peas and green onions from our CSA delivery worked perfectly with the puffs.

The really great taste paired with the no-fuss preparation make tofu puffs something I could easily get addicted to. However, based on the nutritional value of these puffs, I’m going to have to classify them as a “sometimes food”. But, what a great discovery!

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Add soy puffs and blanch for 3-4 minutes. (Use a spoon to dunk the puffs as they have a tendency to float to the surface.) Once heated through, drain thoroughly and set aside.

In a wok or a pan with high sides, add sesame oil and heat on medium high. Once oil is hot, add garlic and the chopped white parts of the green onion. Cook until they soften and begin to brown.

In a small bowl, combine tamari and rice wine vinegar. Add green beans and snap peas to the wok then add the tamari mixture. Stir fry until the vegetables are mostly cooked through – about 4 – 5 minutes. Add the tofu to the pan, then add the vegetable broth. Stir to coat everything with the sauce in the pan. Reduce heat to low and allow to cook until tofu puffs soften.

In a small bowl, add the corn starch plus one tablespoon water. Stir to make a thick paste. Push the vegetables to the side and add cornstarch to the vegetable broth at the bottom of the pan to thicken the sauce. Mix to coat the vegetables and tofu. Let cook another 1 or 2 minutes.

Once plated, drizzle with some of the sauce and sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.